The "serious games" sector could overtake the interactive entertainment business within the next decade according to an expert in the use of games for learning.

A major Serious Games conference was held in Sydney on Friday, featuring speakers from all around the world.

Keynote speaker of the XMediaLab conference and CEO of The Inspiracy, Noah Falstein, told the conference that he thinks "it is inevitable that computer games with purposes beyond entertainment will someday grow to rival and eclipse the current entertainment-only game market, perhaps even within the next 10 years."

But despite Mr Falstein's optimism, games clearly still have a long way to go before they are taken seriously by everyone. Many people still consider computer games as vacuous, violent timewasters.

The worldwide interactive entertainment industry might rake in over $50 billion this year (including $2 billion in Australia) but still suffers from negative stereotypes. Many critics consider games as pointless escapism for children, while others label them dangerously addictive and anti-social, with massively multiplayer online games like World of Warcraft and the anarchic Grand Theft Auto series usually the popular targets for attack.

Fortunately, an ever-increasing number of academics and business leaders are ignoring the cynicism and beginning to champion the use of interactive games as legitimate training tools.

Serious games can be powerful educational tools, allowing users to experiment, learn from their mistakes and safely experience risky or dangerous situations.

Computer game technology is now being used for applications like military simulations, workplace training, education and health care, including training emergency services, pilots, soldiers and surgeons. It is even helping ice cream store workers get a feel for the correct portions of their tasty treats.

Of course, experienced gamers like most Screen Play readers need little convincing of the power of games. Players know that games can be hugely immersive, and can readily identify that their driving skills have been sharpened by Gran Turismo, or their knowledge of history enhanced by the Civilization games, or that they developed a new appreciation and understanding of the complexity of urban planning via SimCity.

Game researcher Dr Andrew Stapleton believes games are very effective educational tools because they enable players to learn through interaction, encourage active problem solving and strategic thinking, and emphasise exploration and self-discovery rather than rote memorisation.

"Through play they get to interact with the virtual world, its rules, objects and characters so they learn what actions and tools are available and when and where to use them," Dr Stapleton says. "I'd also add other reasons such as the high level of engagement that people have when playing them, and the level of challenge presented to players, which typically increases as they progress through the game to match their increased knowledge and skill."

Dr Stapleton says many discoveries and inventions throughout history were "the result of what some may consider mistakes", which games encourage through trial-and-error. "Wrong turns or dead-ends help us along a process of elimination, discounting them as viable solutions, and then force us to think of alternatives. So in the same way a designer or scientist learns through an iterative process of discovery, game players come to learn about the game environment, uses of objects and consequences of actions."

The reasons why serious games are used around the world are "as wide and varied as all the applications themselves" according to Dr Stapleton.

Examples of serious games include IndustryPlayer, a business simulation based on real-world data, and Simport, which lets players learn about the challenges involved in large infrastructure projects like sea ports.

Transport and Distribution Australia produced a game to help instruct transport and distribution workers in tasks like lifting freight, operating forklifts, loading trucks and identifying security threats. In the Netherlands, VSTEP (Virtual Safety Training and Education Platform) has developed many realistic 3D simulations for applications like training oil rig workers, emergency services, port authorities, hospital staff and military.

The Virtual Reality Centre at RMIT University has also produced a simulation for NSW State Rail to train staff to respond appropriately in emergencies. A virtual 3D model of a Sydney underground station was constructed so trainees could role-play during different scenarios, "experiencing the panic, reduced vision and stress of an evacuation procedure".

Similar applications include Incident Commander, a US homeland security tool tutoring municipal officials in managing accidents or disasters, and HazMat, preparing those typically first to respond after a catastrophe. Code Orange also trains hospital workers to deal with the rapid decision making required after mass-casualty events, while Shield of Freedom enables the US Coast Guard to test the communication and tactical performance of their recruits.

Serious games have also been created for political agendas, such as Australia's Escape From Woomera, which highlights the plight of asylum seekers in detention, and Darfur is Dying, which simulates life in a refugee camp. Even the United Nations is using games to help educate Westerners about famine and the difficulties of distributing food in the third-world.

The Serious Games Initiative was established in the US to foster the growth of computer games beyond the entertainment sector, and is a good resource for those interested in exploring the burgeoning sector. Co-director Ben Sawyer says the use of game-related technologies in fields like healthcare, education, security and business has grown rapidly over the past few years.

"We have exercise games, games that help with phobia treatment, games used for treating pain related to cancer or burns, and games used to train health care workers (including surgeons) in important new procedures," enthuses Mr Sawyer.

Examples of serious games in healthcare include Splash, an underwater scuba environment used for pain distraction during chemotherapy treatments, Iceworld, which helps patients suffering from burns, and Re-Mission, which has given young cancer patients a sense of self-efficacy and even enhanced the impact of chemotherapy treatments. Virtual reality systems have also successfully treated patients suffering from phobias.

Marc Prensky, an American speaker, writer, educator, corporate trainer and game designer, is one of the world's leading advocates of game-based training. His company Games2Train offers over 100 online and CD-based training games that have been used by firms such as American Express, Bank of America, IBM, JP Morgan Chase, Nokia, and the US Department of Defense.

Other clients of Games2Train include a software company using a 3D game that helps teach young engineers how to use complex computer-aided design tools, an investment fund that uses games to train telemarketers in dealing with difficult customers during their "down time" between calls, and a bank that uses games for product and leadership training, and even to eliminate workplace sexual harassment.

Mr Prensky says people can learn many skills from playing games, including collaboration, wise decision making under stress, prudent risk-taking, scientific deduction, lateral and strategic thinking, persistence and ethics. He believes that it is a game's intellectual challenge (not violence or flashy graphics) that keeps players engaged. While many adults mistakenly believe they are trivial, Mr Prensky says most games today "require the learning of many complex and difficult skills in order to achieve challenging goals" and players "are learning tremendous amounts from their games that will help them lead better 21st-century lives."

Employers might even want to start actively looking for game players when recruiting staff, according to IBM. The computer giant funded studies conducted in conjunction with MIT, Stanford, and software start-up Seriosity, and found players of massively multiplayer online games like World of Warcraft and Everquest were learning skills that will be crucial in tomorrow's workplaces.

IBM's findings suggest online games can help the next generation of workers become better corporate leaders as work becomes more distributed, collaborative and virtual in nature. The research found games can hone skills related to collaboration, self-organization, risk taking, openness, influence, and communications - skills not typically taught in universities or workplaces.

Eric Lesser, from the IBM think-tank Institute of Business Value, conducted interviews and watched online players in action, looking for the kind of skills that would be applicable for a corporate setting.

"I think there are lessons that gamers learn within virtual environments that are relevant to what people are now starting to see in corporations," he says."For example the ability to bring together distributed groups of individuals - often who are on a volunteer or semi-volunteer basis - to be able to make more rapid decisions under conditions of uncertainty. To incorporate and use different sources of data and make decisions rapidly. To recognise people for their contribution. To be able to motivate."

Mr Lesser found "a number of behavioural traits" that occurred in gaming environments that are "definitely relevant" in the business world. He believes online games provide a window into the future as to how many organisations will run, with leaders required to communicate with workers across a "virtual environment" that might span several countries.

There are many useful skills that people are learning from online games that they aren't learning in typical workplaces, argues Mr Lesser. "When people go into organisations, people don't spend a lot of time thinking about 'How do I lead a virtual team?' (But) in a virtual environment, there are things you have to do differently. You have to engage people differently. You have to employ different communication channels. You have to change the frequency in which you communicate with people to make sure they still feel connected to the larger enterprise and recognise their contributions.

"These are all things that people have grown up with in an office environment, but if you work for a global organisation, you need to be able to path or plan time-zone and distance and culture to make these virtual teams more effective."

Mr Lesser believes businesses are starting to recognise that "traditional leadership metaphors" like sport or military analogies do not work as well in a distributed environment. "(But) once people become more acquainted with gaming, they are more easily able to see the parallels. Of course, there are always going to be nay-sayers, but half of the people we interviewed said what they learned in gaming influenced the way they conducted leadership in their own corporate environment."

Like Dr Stapleton, Mr Lesser also believes games can be powerful learning tools because people can learn by experimenting with different strategies, and from failure. He believes games can encourage people to take informed and manageable risks, and "fail small but fail more frequently in order to try new things."

Shigeru Miyamoto is one of the past century's most successful artists and undisputedly the games industry's most respected designer. The father of Mario and countless other much-loved gaming icons, Miyamoto's genius is stamped on every product he touches.

But just a few years ago, it seemed that Miyamoto (like his company) was becoming an anachronism in the industry he helped create.

In a rapidly changing and maturing market which was now suddenly more focused on adults rather than children, many felt Miyamoto was becoming out-of-touch. As the designer entered his 50s and Nintendo's share of the ever-growing interactive entertainment industry began to shrink, the Japanese Peter Pan was increasingly berated for refusing to grow up.

We all know how the story has turned around in recent years. Nintendo is the industry leader once again, with Miyamoto and his President Satoru Iwata orchestrating an astonishing comeback by producing incredibly novel experiences like Nintendogs, Brain Training, Wii Fit and Wii Sports, as well as clever updates of more traditional Nintendo fare like New Super Mario Bros., Mario Kart and Super Mario Galaxy. Nintendo has now sold over 50 million Wii consoles, and over 100 million DS handhelds.

Screen Play was fortunate to get a (disappointingly brief) interview with Miyamoto at the Electronic Entertainment Expo last week. Click below for some of the highlights.

(Screen Play) You said that you are working on a lot of projects at the moment. Is that your preferred way to work now, or would you like the luxury of going back to work on one project at a time?

(Shigeru Miyamoto) It's fun to do it both ways. I think the one challenge is that ultimately I am responsible for all of the titles so it's probably ideal for me to know all that there is about each title from start to finish, but it is also a great deal of fun to be working on multiple titles at once. In fact with Wii Sports Report, Wii Fit Plus and New Super Mario, we really are at a point where we are in the final stages and have got our ultimate goal and vision in mind. We're at the point where we're just finishing up with the polish. What's really difficult is when there's a lot of different projects at once and you don't know where they are leading. This really right now is a lot of fun.

(Other journalist) With things like Wii Fit and the Wii Vitality Sensor, it seems Nintendo is not just all about games anymore, but is more of a lifestyle company.

(Shigeru Miyamoto) I wouldn't say it's so much about lifestyle. I look at it as among the different things that a family would do together in the living room, what of those types of activities could be turned into some kind of video game or interactive experience. Or for example I have been thinking a lot about what if people had a DS and they carried it around town with them, what kind of benefits could they get with the DS that would make them happy. So for example with the Wii Vitality Sensor, its not a question of what can we do to measure or track different elements of the body, it's more of a question of what can a new type of interface do to create a new experience. If there was for example a way for your feelings to become some type of input rather than simply something that is being evaluated or tracked, what could be done with that to turn it into a video game? For example, if you were in an adventure game, maybe there was something where you had to tell the truth or lie (laughs) maybe it could tell if you were lying, who knows?

(Screen Play) You've announced a collaboration with Team Ninja for the next Metroid. It seems hardcore gamers are constantly demanding more content from Nintendo, should Nintendo be doing more regular outsourcing so that you can fill your release schedule?

(Shigeru Miyamoto) I think it's not really so much a question about whether we should do more outsourcing, but whether or not we can perhaps do a better job of creating opportunities for developers that are particularly talented creating that type of game to be interested in approaching us and working with us. What I think is very important though is for our internal designers to be playing an intergral role in the planning and design of the games we do. For example, in the past there was a period where we did a lot of collaboration on different titles like Star Fox or the Smash Bros series, and within that I think that what is important is for our own designers to be a key part of that and not simply outsource our titles to other people but really for us to remain a key player in the design and planning process in order to ensure it is something that meets our quality requirements. Right now we actually have what we call "second party" developers, which are development studios that develop games for us and we publish the titles. Right now we probably have in terms of development resources from second parties, it's probably about 1.5 or 2 times the development resources that we have internally right now.

(Other journalist) Is a high definition Wii something we can expect in the near future?

(Shigeru Miyamoto) Eventually at some point we will probably release a new system that takes advantage of HD technology, but when we designed the Wii and were looking at the balance of technology and how we were going to take advantage of this hardware system, one of the other things that we looked at was the actual penetration rate for HD television sets in the various markets. That was one factor that played into our ultimate decision to focus on standard definition video output for the Wii. But at some point in the future it's only going to be natural for us in a future hardware system to move into the HD area.

(Other journalist) It is something that hardcore gamers want, though.

(Shigeru Miyamoto) Yeah, but I think in essence what is more important is how fun is the game itself? As long as Nintendo continues to focus on creating experiences that feel fresh and our fun, then the hardware people will continue their work and eventually we will get into the HD era. I don't think HD is something that makes an interactive experience. Of course if you have a game and you have a HD version and you have an SD version, maybe the HD version might be more interesting. But the graphics themselves aren't going to make the game more fun, just cost more money for the developers (laughs).

(Screen Play) Just a few years ago you were often chastised for making "childish" games. Do you feel personally vindicated by Nintendo's recent success, particularly in attracting huge numbers of older players?

(Shigeru Miyamoto) I think the criticism of the things that I was creating were childish was really more of a PR strategy that other companies may have used. I don't think what I was creating was childish at all. I just make things that are very positive and bright. I think that creating something for children is different than creating something that has a bright and positive attitude.

(Other journalist) You have been able to successfully attract a lot of girls and women to gaming, was that something that you deliberately set out to do?

(Shigeru Miyamoto) We haven't looked specifically at a particular audience, what we have always been saying is that we are focused on a really broad audience and we're trying to make games that appeal to everyone. I think that is just one example of how we have been able to create experiences that appeal beyond traditional audiences that we've seen up until now.

(Other journalist) What are your thoughts on the motion controllers that Sony and Microsoft have unveiled?

(Shigeru Miyamoto) Our strategy is to make gameplay, then show the hardware. We ended up with Wii Sports taking a long time (in development). Something Nintendo does well is not only create this technology but implement it in a way that makes it really accessible. Until the technology (that Microsoft and Sony have shown) reaches that level, it's really impossible to make any judgment on it.

I don't know what the perfect approach is, but anything that gets gamers to use their whole body we are in favour of, it does nothing but expand the market for us. Taking this technology in a way that feels good and feels natural in the way that we have done with Wii Sports is something I feel very confident about.

Interfaces are something that have evolved, including buttons and scales... Some interfaces are controlled by the player, such as getting the player to touch buttons, and now getting the player to step on a board. But can you control what your pulse does? Can you control it of your own volition? I think something like that, that is hard to control, would take a lot of training.

One of the most interesting features of Mass Effect 2 discussed at last week's Electronic Entertainment Expo is that the game will examine your save game from its predecessor, and alter the story in accordance with your previously chosen path.

Your decisions in the original Mass Effect will affect the story in Mass Effect 2.

For a story-driven role playing series like Mass Effect, the feature seems like a most welcome and appropriate addition that will greatly assist in making players feel like they are genuinely directing Lieutenant Commander Shepard's unique story rather than just following a linear path.

But I'm keen to hear from you today about whether you think the same technology could also be used in other franchises to interesting effect...

The Freeplay independent game developers conference will be held at the State Library of Victoria on August 14 and 15.

Freeplay was founded in 2004 by Marcus Westbury and a dedicated team of indie game developers. Three conferences have been held in Melbourne in previous years, featuring both local and international speakers.

This year's event is being organised by indie game experts Paul Callaghan and Eve Penford-Dennis who promise an interesting and diverse line-up of speakers and a range of workshops and ancillary industry-building and social events where attendees can talk, share ideas and build connections.

The organisers believe that the opportunities for independent developers to create and distribute innovative games has risen dramatically in recent years thanks to simple, low-cost development tools and digital download services like Apple's App Store, Nintendo's WiiWare and Microsoft's XNA.

Tom Crago, President of the Game Developers' Association of Australia said that Freeplay has proven to be a great forum for bringing together students and indie games developers. "As an industry, we naturally recognise the importance of game development at a grass-roots level, and anything that can foster that has our absolute support."

The recent Interactive Australia 2009 report by Bond University found Australians are social game players.

Only three per cent of all gamers never play with others, either online or on the same couch. Over 20 per cent "often" play with others in the same room, another 41 per cent "occasionally".

Today regular Screen Play contributor Blackwell explores how much fun it can be playing with others, but what a challenge it also represents to game designers.

Blackwell is currently studying networking and database administration in Wagga and is also spending his time creating to create a new customer relationship management system.

Click below for his latest Your Turn entry.

The company of others

The stereotype of gamers is usually that of a solitary individual sitting in front of a computer monitor or a television screen whiling away their lives. I also know that, as I sit playing Dawn of War: Soulstorm, I'm not doing much to combat this.

The truth is, however, that I don't really mind. Besides, for many years now game developers have been providing the means for people to join in the fun. And not just in the form of party or music games, but through the inclusion of that wonderful game mode known as cooperative play.

My first encounter with cooperative play dates back to the early 1990's when my grandparents gave my older brother and I a Nintendo Entertainment System for our birthday. Through it we were introduced to two player games.

In Street Gangs we learned that while chucking enemy gangsters into a pit was usually easier, it was more profitable to beat them up so we could get any money that they dropped on the ground. In Sidewinder we reveled in the destruction of the Mothership with our choppers. And of course there was also Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, which we never got round to finishing due to the fact that I kept accidently taking out Shredder's hologram in the final boss battle.

I didn't just play co-op games with my brother (and vice versa) since we also played them with friends. It was through playing Two Crude Dudes with one of them that I also discovered another important facet of cooperative play known as bragging rights.

We had invested some time playing the game and had fought our way through mutants, cyborgs, cannibal hunchback mutants, minotaurs and even a Spiderman, only to be faced by the main boss; a grey haired doctor that was less than half our size. We beat him back easily the first couple of times but somehow he managed to get close enough to touch my friend's character and kill him... only for the Sega Mega Drive to freeze on us a short time later.

We took a break at that point (although the conversation immediately afterwards focused mostly on the Mega Drive freezing up and how my friend's character got killed) but once that was up we started playing again and managed to defeat him this time. Furthermore, once he metamorphosed into the final, final boss, then we defeated him as well.

Of course nowadays you should never assume that implementing cooperative play in a game is easy, even though professional developers like Epic Games have made it look easy in much the same way that Johnny Knoxville and his friends have made it so easy to look like a jackass.... For a more practical example of how hard cooperative play can be to implement I couldn't think of a better or more recent game than Blacksite: Area 51.

I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't heard of it because apart from one interview with the senior designer in an issue of PC PowerPlay magazine neither had I. But after conducting some research, I discovered that Blacksite was a multi-platform first-person shooter released back in late 2007.

During its development it was originally claimed that Blacksite would have online cooperative play similar to that found in Gears of War, however this was later scrapped. Why? Well from what I could gather, it all started going downhill when somebody asked during one of the development meetings why the Blackhawk helicopter only had one machine gun turret.

Unlike in a 2D game environment where cooperative play can simply mean adding an extra character model, cooperative play in a 3D game environment is an entirely different kettle of fish and what can usually seem challenging to one person may be easy to two or more people working together.

Furthermore, if a developer does intend for a game to have cooperative play then it will need require much planning, including level design, challenges, puzzles, boss fights and of course vehicle sections. It's no good if one player is busy manning the vehicle's weapon while the other player just sits back twiddling their fingers, unless of course they're the one doing the driving.

Another thing I have noticed, in regards to PC games at least, is that even if the game in question wasn't originally designed with cooperative play in mind, then if it becomes popular enough a group of people will eventually invest the time, passion and effort needed to make a mod that will enable cooperative play of the single player storyline. For example, look at the mods like SvenCoop for the original Half Life and HL2 Coop: Follow Freeman.

Recently I was speaking with my brother again and during our conversation he told me about some of the difficulties he was having while playing Far Cry 2, including a lack of semi-automatic fire capabilities for assault rifles, and how that was forcing him to play missions with only certain weapon combinations. He also mentioned the constant driving around, and of course, having to stop whenever he encountered an enemy patrol in order to use the mounted machine gun.

If Far Cry 2 had had cooperative play implemented, then he said it would allow for a greater variety of weapons and tactics to be used during missions. It would also make travelling from Point A to Point B, as well as dealing with the subsequent patrols, much easier thanks to one person driving while the other one uses the machine gun. Considering that Far Cry 2 was generally well-received, perhaps it'll only be a matter of time until someone decides to implement a cooperative mod so we'll be able to put that theory to the test...

- Blackwell

Screen Play readers can submit articles or ideas for consideration in Your Turn and Your Review using the email address screenplayblog@gmail.com. The best blog post published on Screen Play between June 1 and June 30, 2009 as judged by Jason Hill will win a PlayStation 3 console from Sony Computer Entertainment worth $699. The next prize winner will be announced on June 30. Only Australian residents are eligible and the judge's decision is final.

Sony yesterday opened the first Blu-ray disc manufacturing plant in the Southern Hemisphere.

The factory in Huntingwood, New South Wales, includes three Blu-ray production lines, including one dedicated solely to the manufacture of PlayStation 3 games, with a total output capacity of 12 million discs per year.

Sony Computer Entertainment Australia's Managing Director Michael Ephraim said "PlayStation 3 has played a critical part in the success of the Blu-ray format, both locally and globally, and has demonstrated its value in over half a million Australian living rooms as a true entertainment hub offering. With a current attachment rate of almost eight games for every PS3, that's over 3.5 million Blu-ray Disc games that have been sold to date in Australia."

Mr Ephraim said the new plant should be a clear sign to consumers that Blu-ray is now a "permanent fixture on the format landscape in Australia" but PS3 owners will also be hoping the plant helps reduce local Blu-ray prices and ensures more timely releases.

Just a month after becoming the head of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Andy House was kind enough to give up his lunch break at the Electronic Entertainment Expo last week to chat to Screen Play.

The new President and CEO of SCEE is responsible for the PlayStation business in nearly 100 PAL countries, including Australia, following the retirement of David Reeves.

Andy House has been with Sony since 1990, and believes there is still potential for Sony to enjoy huge growth in the interactive entertainment industry.

Click below to hear his thoughts on topics like the PlayStation Motion Controller, how to lift PS3 sales, whether the PS3 needs a price cut, content on the PlayStation Network, how to deliver online movies, and the new PSP Go.

Perhaps we could start with a brief explanation of your background and new role?

Sure. I started in the new role a month ago, taking over from David Reeves on his retirement. The role is the same, running Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, which for us covers all the PAL systems, including Australia and New Zealand. I'm very happy to be back. This is my second tour of duty on PlayStation. I actually was with the PlayStation group from the start back in 1992, back when it was a secret project code-named PSX. I took a three-and-a-half year sabbatical: I was asked to take on a job at Sony Corp, I was the group CMO. Then the opportunity came to come back to the business and I jumped at the opportunity. Three-and-a-half years in a corporate role is a long time.

You must have been pleased with the reception to the press conference?

Absolutely. I thought it was one of the strongest events that we have put on in many years. I think we hit the right tone of communication. I thought we were quietly confident. I think it's a fantastic time for me to come back personally, I think we are poised to see some tremendously increased momentum. It was a little bit of a marathon event, but we had an awful lot to talk about and an awful lot to share, and I hope that was the take-away point.

Obviously one of the stand outs at the event was the demonstration of the new motion technology. You must feel like you have some advantage over one of your competitors in Microsoft given Sony's years of EyeToy development, but Nintendo has 50 million Wii consoles out there already and MotionPlus also already out. Are you confident that the PlayStation Motion Controller will be superior to the experience offered by your competitors and it won't be too little, too late?

I think there's a different point that I would make. Yes, I'm confident that we will have something that will be best of breed for this generation. I think you're absolutely right to point out that the technology plays to Sony's strongest suit. But, and we were just talking about this in a publisher meeting earlier, the difference is one of business strategy. Nintendo has kind of placed all of their eyes into one basket, which is to make the motion controller the absolute center of their strategy. I don't think that is what our intention is, so I don't think we are competitng to that degree. The difference is that for us, we think the best platform will be the one that offers the consumer the best portfolio of experiences that spans deep, immersive games that are only possible on PlayStation, that expands a network that is seamless, and that creates a relationship with the consumer that starts with the game as opposed to ending when the game is shipped.

And another aspect to that is how we adopt the motion controller as another part of that portfolio of experiences. Another thing that is very critical, and we showed this as part of the demonstration, it's important that it's not just purpose built. It's not just about designing standalone games that only work with the motion technology. The more successful games will be the ones in which you can indeed do that, but at the same time it also becomes an enhancement to other experiences. We deliberately did a demo that showed how the controller worked in more conventional gaming experiences to get developers thinking along those lines.

Are third parties already involved, or has it only been in-house up until now?

No, we are already having conversations and demonstrations out there, but obviously it becomes a lot easier now because the technology is public because we can have more of an open dialogue around it. Those discussions have already begun and are ongoing.

It is apparent at the show that Sony has the strongest first party line-up...

That's very nice of you to say so.

...But I'm not convinced there is one or two titles that might cause PS3 sales to spike appreciably and overtake the Wii's weekly numbers, let alone help get up to the Wii's install base. Are there specific titles that you think are going to be real system sellers or will you be continuing to market a wide range of games and applications?

I think it's the latter. There's two points there, Jason. For us, the lifecycle projection is different. We very much believe that we are in the marathon versus the sprint. So you have to track us over that longer lifecycle, which is at least 10 years, possibly much longer. And of those two alternatives you offered, we would go for the latter, back to the sort of portfolio strategy that I talked about earlier. It's a portfolio of experiences, it's also a very deep, strong line-up with a variety of games. I'm not entirely sure that for this generation of technology we are going to see the completely platform defining game, the hit game, the rising tide that will lift all boats. I think it's much more about better improvements on the network experience and also a collection of different games that offer a broad variety of different experiences.

One of the games I'm most excited about is ModNation because it seems to build upon the user-generated zeitgeist that we started with LittleBigPlanet and now starts to take it to other genres that people can very easily understand. Particularly for our markets I think it's got some very big potential.

It was widely anticipated that you would announce a price cut for the PlayStation 3 at the press conference. Many analysts think that cutting the PS3's price will be the only way to see sales spike dramatically. Are they wrong?

It's interesting that you have to pay an analyst to tell you that if you cut the price you might actually sell more consoles. I really want that job.

Are they wrong that it's the only thing that will see sales spike?

I don't think it's the only thing. I think that the consumer is very savvy about an overall value proposition and can put together whether its games, or let's not forget Blu-ray for movies, high-def content. I think they can put together that value proposition, but we need to do a better job of making them aware of that value proposition, which will help drive sales. Having said that, do I think that we need to look at pricing strategy as we move through a longer term life cycle? Absolutely. Will we make the moves that we need to in order to move the business? Yes, we will. It will just be on our own schedule and not determined by other factors.

Australian gamers, like many in Europe I'm sure, are long accustomed to waiting longer than other parts of the world for products, but it is particularly frustrating that in the digital distribution realm, where some of the old barriers should no longer apply, that it's still happening. Can we get a commitment to Australians from you that we will see timelier releases via the PlayStation Network in future?

I'm not sure I can make a firm commitment five weeks into the job, but my commitment will be to certainly take a look at it and see what we can do to improve it.

There's been a lot of talk at the conference about delivering video. I'm interested to hear your thoughts on whether the average consumer prefers to stream content (rent movies) or download them (buy and keep them)?

I think it's a complex question because tastes and approaches vary wildly from market to market. I think the critical thing, and this leads us onto PSP Go neatly, is that we feel that whether it is video download, whether it is video rental, that we as a company need to be on the forefront of this. No company out there has got all the answers worked out in the digital environment. The critical thing is that you experiment, that you find where consumer trends are headed, and that you try your best to get ahead of those. I think all the models are open to us right now, and one of my critical words in a digital environment is flexibility. The ability to move more quickly, to understand where consumer trends are headed.

PSP Go is a really good example for me. We said we will take a leadership role, we will bring a device to market in a different way for content acquisition than any of our competitors has done because we know our consumer wants us to. We will figure these things out in dialogue with the consumer. It makes it all sound warm and fuzzy but you will hear us talk a lot about this being the games that are just the start. There's two meanings to that. It's the start of your experience with PS3, and there are many other things that we offer you that are associated with it, which comes back to the point that used to end the relationship when we sold you the disc, now that's the beginning of the dialogue with the consumer. It's one of the reasons why I am most excited to be back in the business, because the it's first time that Sony has an evolving, changing platform that can be tremendously powerful at retaining consumers and their interest. If I look at the broader Sony strategy we really are at the forefront of where Sony will go with other devices as they all become increasingly connected.

How long do you expect the dual PSP console strategy to be in place? At least this year?

I don't know if I'd want to put a timeframe on it, particularly at a time when we have not even launched the device.

Will it be determined just by sales of the 3000?

It'll be determined by the traditional factors of a console's lifecycle. Content is important, consumer interest, do we have great games. The most interesting thing for me, particularly after coming back, is the scale of PSP development demonstrated at the press conference. It's very encouraging that both our internal and third party studios after having got a few good solid years on PSP are saying "You know, we really need to put the right level of resource support there and get the right titles out". And it couldn't come at a better time when we have a new device coming out into the market. There's a good, long lifecycle there for PSP and this (Go) becomes a good way to enhance it. I think there's a very strong upgrade market for those people that are PSP fans, and let's not underestimate the importance of design and form factor. It's a very, very cool device. The retailer reaction has been extremely positive as well, I think in part because of the "must have" aspect of the design.

Thanks Andy, I appreciate you giving you your lunch break to speak.

No problem, I'm glad we were able to find the time and make it happen, and I'll see you in Australia at some point. It's really high on my list because I've never been and I absolutely must go.

At last week's Electronic Entertainment Expo, Screen Play quickly grabbed David McLean, head of the Xbox business in Australia, to hear his thoughts on Project Natal and get confirmation that Microsoft's new video service would soon be launched down under.

Click below for the full interview, which also covers subjects like Australia's bandwidth and data quota limitations and their impact on the video service, confirmation of a possible digital TV service for Australia via Xbox Live, and the Xbox 360 console's lifespan.

Were you happy with the reception to the press conference?

I'm really happy. I actually think it's the best press event we've had. I also think we made it very clear the direction that we are going in. There was the vision around the Natal strategy. We showed that we are consistently getting the best games on Xbox 360, the Metal Gear announcement was an important one. And I also think the direction we are taking with social networking is a key step and aligning with the vision that we have always had - saying that we want to make Xbox the heart and the hub of the entertainment experience at home. I feel that brings that together. So I feel very happy and very proud.

We saw the Aussie flag on the screen when the new video service was mentioned. Can we talk about the local ramifications?

Yes, the video service will be coming to Australia this year. I'm happy to announce that, and you're the first journalist I've been able to say that to. I'm really excited about having people able to stream high-definition content out of the box, instantly, and no longer having to worry about downloads, and no longer worrying about discs. I think it's a huge shift forward for us. I've said for quite some time that I think discs are going to be obsolete over a period and I think with that service operating effectively for a lot of people we have made discs obsolete.

In Australia we've talked a lot in the past about bandwidth limitations, about data quotas, Are there going to be handicaps to the system?

There's two things I want to say about that. The first is that the service is intuitive enough. I can operate at 1080P (resolution) but the service is intuitive enough to adjust itself down to support the bandwidth ability of your ISP provider. So that you have a proper streaming experience and there is no stuttering or anything like that. The second thing is that we are working with major ISPs right now to look at the opportunities to provide unmetered plans with our customers specifically around the Xbox 360. I'm looking forward to the time when I can announce something like that to you.

There's already one unmetered deal for Xbox Live content right now, isn't there?

Yes, we have started something but we want to make sure as many Australians as possible can leverage it regardless of who they are with.

Is there a likely launch date or period at this stage?

You know me I don't want to give a date. But what I will say is we're planning to launch it this year. But I want to be firmer before I give a date. But certainly this year.

We saw some live television demonstrations of a service for some of Europe, will we see anything similar in Australia?

I've got nothing to announce about that just yet, but what I would say is that these things take time. We've got to make sure we get the service right, we've got to work with the intellectual property owners to address it, just like the video-on-demand service. So we're working on that.

So it's possible?

Yes.

I'm also interested to hear your thoughts on the potential of the motion sensor technology.

I think what we've all seen is the market just accelerate ahead over the last couple of years as the social gaming phenomenon has increased and we've decided to take it to a whole next level. As people that have been in the industry for a long while, we both know that there are people who are actually intimidated by controllers. I do think that what it will do is open up the market even more broadly than it is, there are going to be a lot of people that are invigorated by it. I also think its going to create new forms of entertainment. To be able to interact with just your body and your voice, it's never been done before. If we do this in the way that we've shown and have been talking about, I think its going to create a whole new genre of entertainment experiences and Microsoft will revolutionise the category.

Have you heard what Sony is doing?

No, I haven't seen their announcement today.

It was interesting that there were a lot of parallels with your press conference. Obviously you are both chasing Nintendo in some respects...

I think the one thing is that you have to take your hat off to Nintendo, they have done some great work around innovation. I've always said that. But no one holds a controlling power over innovation. What you have seen with Microsoft over the last couple of days is that we are innovative. Not only that, we are signing ourselves up to big, big goals. And another thing about Microsoft is that we make announcements about what we are going to do and then we tell people when it is going to be delivered, and then we deliver it. And that is exactly what is going to happen with Project Natal,

It does seem now that the 360 platform will have a longer lifespan than its predecessor.

We've always said that we expect the 360 to be around for quite some time and since its been out we've upgraded it, updated it, a number of times, especially on the Live service. The console was built from the outset with that viewpoint in mind. So to be able to announce now that when Project Natal is available, all existing Xboxes will be able to leverage its services, is a thing that we are very proud to be able to say. I think that our console strategy, the way you move from the Arcade to the Pro to the Elite, everything has always been about ratcheting up the service over time. I'm very comfortable with what we've delivered and that we will be able to continue to evolve and grow the service. We'll be able to make a lot more announcements in future, there's a lot more in the pipeline for the 360.

Microsoft's Project Natal, and motion-based control systems in general, were the biggest talking point of this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Over 50 million Wii consoles have already been sold, with countless gamers attracted to the machine because of its novel controller. But many gamers are now salivating at the potential that Natal offers to create an even more immersive and flexible control system.

Yet not all gamers are convinced that Natal is worth getting excited about. In her first Your Turn piece today, Ali Frazer, a 23-year-old studying health and social work, argues that Natal should not be considered the Holy Grail of interactive entertainment.

Click below for Ali's welcome Your Turn debut.

Project Natal

Let me say that first off, the Project Natal technology looks incredible. If it actually works like the demonstration, it far surpasses the current EyeToy and WiiMote (probably even the much anticipated MotionPlus). However, I'm still not fully sold. I think Natal will be a lot of fun and appeal to a wide audience, but I don't think it'll work for all games.

Problems with implementation

I'm a Japanese role playing game fan and there's no way you could manage an inventory or input ATB commands with Natal, it would be too finicky. I may be proven wrong, but I think the whole point of Natal is to facilitate games that require as much movement as possible - this doesn't really work for RPGs or simulations. It would also be difficult to implement for first-person shooters, because yes, you can motion to shoot and reload - but how will you manage your inventory and stats on the fly? Imagine playing something like BioShock with Natal, I'm honestly finding it hard to imagine.

Natal is not as wide reaching and revolutionary as Microsoft wants us to believe. I also think it's detrimental to some of the featured game types. The introduction video showed a skateboarding game where a kid was jumping about to do tricks. Skateboarding games tend to be scored based on exceedingly difficult tricks that pros can barely do (and they often defy the laws of gravity and physics!) That's what makes it challenging. It's fun to have a bit of a lark around a virtual skate park, but how will they implement the hardcore skateboard tricks that define skate games? Regular people can barely pretend to ollie. In trying to make the game more authentic and interactive, they have stripped it of its core premise.

The same applies to fighting games. The boy in the video was able to punch and dodge against the computer opponent, but how limiting is that really? Compare that to Street Fighter 4 which relies on complex moves and combos. Can Natal (and a real person) perform those moves or approximate it enough for Natal to act? Or will the arcade fighting genre fall to the wayside in place of the frontal dodge/punch/kick variety? Can developers work out a way to input complex commands with Natal that don't require being a trained athlete or moving unlike any real human?

Motion controls are applicable to a variety of games and it's proven successful for the Wii in the sport, arcade and racing genres (though personally I prefer Mario Kart without the wheel). However, it doesn't apply to all games, not even all Wii games. Yahtzee said it best when reviewing Mario Galaxy, that "...it would have been better with a GameCube controller... and that it denigrates the very console it's supposed to sell." After a few hours of waving your arms about, new age gaming can be a tiring and painful experience. Added to that, Mario is not something that translates well to real life - he's a disproportionately fat man who jumps up and down constantly, flings turtle shells at enemies and more recently hurtles through space at impossible speeds. Do I really want to do all that myself? Is it necessary to be totally immersed in Mario? Is being tired and achy for days on end for the sake of being immersed in Mario worth it? I'd argue No.

Deeper analysis - progress, interactivity and immersion

My main problem with Natal is the argument that it offers more immersion than a controller, and the assumption that this is a good thing. Lionhead's Peter Molyneux said that games have never truly been interactive because the controller is a barrier to immersion. The nature of a device like Natal is to remove that barrier and offer a more immersive and authentic "interactive" experience by having you act out the "character" or "avatars" experience - it's immersive because you're the one doing it! Groundbreaking.

I think the key problem with some of the new trends in gaming, and specifically with Natal, are that the big companies are assuming gamers want to be actively involved all the time. Removing the controller completely from gaming does not necessarily make it more immersive - plenty of games that use a controller are already highly immersive. It's a game, so of course you're involved in it! The question is: do people really want to live it? Sure, lots of games are about the challenge, but the main purpose of modern gaming (and all entertainment, really) is escapism. Games are ultimately fantasy and sometimes, a bit of distance is a good thing.

There's been a marked shift in recent years of gaming becoming a credible "entertainment" medium that's valid for adults, not just kids. This is largely based on the development of blockbuster (and occasionally lesser known - obligatory Shadow of the Colossus reference) titles that push both the boundaries of the medium, but also the boundaries of story-telling. Increasingly complex characters and motivations, large worlds and environments and stunning graphics have been the way forward for hardcore gamers and new gamers alike. I'd argue that the key factors of an immersive gaming experience are the emotive responses it produces rather than physical interactivity. The worlds we've been playing in are highly immersive - anyone who's had to leave all the lights on after playing Silent Hill 2 will testify to that.

In many ways, immersive interaction can also be detrimental to this new "grown-up" form of gaming and story-telling. Lionhead's "Milo" demo shows a woman interacting through voice and motion cues with an AI designed to act like a human. Admittedly it's early days yet, but the interaction was awkward and had no direction. If gaming is becoming more plot-oriented and immersive via emotional response and involvement, then it stands to reason that there needs to be structure to the narrative. I'm sure it will be argued that demos like "Milo" are a blueprint for the future of role-playing and adventure games, however I'd argue that if games continue towards blurring the boundary between game, literature and cinema "Milo" won't be capable of directing and properly immersing a player in the story.

One of the best selling titles of last year was Grand Theft Auto IV, which was lauded by many for its environment and story. Nico's plight, motivations and actions were all brought together to immerse the player in his world, and the plot's depth is credited with making it stand out as more than just game - it was seen as a sign of progress in the industry. That it sold so well is a good indicator that there is a large demand for content such as Grand Theft Auto.

So, what does this have to do with Natal? Let's assume that Natal offers "true" immersion; that "true" immersion is the way of the future and that Natal will become the sole input device of future consoles. There is the possibility that a first person view, such as in the "Milo" demo, will become the norm for gaming. However, for a game such as GTA IV, let's assume it's in third person. Complex, fully interactive sand-box worlds can be affected in many different ways and this means acting out everything Nico is doing - and Nico does a lot of things. Nico shoots and kills people, he runs them over, and he robs them. If games have become fully immersive through active engagement, does this then mean that the player is murdering people? Most gamers would be outraged by the thought, and obviously it's a bit far-fetched as only pixels have been "harmed", but what moral and ethical boundaries would an interface like Natal entail?

Surely Natal is different to standard controller input. The argument that it's better is based on the assertion that physical involvement is making it truly immersive. Even if real life murder charges are unlikely, the concept of full immersion in adult R18+ games such as GTA IV, Resident Evil and Call of Duty is murky territory. Opponents of video games argue that violent video games simulate killing in a very real sense and that they encourage real life violence. Gamers argue that games are fantasy; fact and fiction are clearly separated by a fourth wall that allows people to experience and empathise with characters and scenarios they wouldn't in normal life. There is a clear distinction between real life and fantasy and gamers argue that people are capable of differentiating between the two. As long as a story is easily identifiable as fiction it's easy to toe the line, but what if the boundary is blurred by the active interaction and acknowledgment of a player?

Studies have shown that the interface and controls of current violent games actually distract from the violence of the images and actions of the player. Knowing this, would introducing Natal and offering total immersion then encourage violence in real life? Is it possible for immersion through physical action to affect people's decision making? Many people will argue that it's not possible, however there's a large difference between pressing a few buttons and physically miming shooting someone in the head. Add to this the likelihood of hyper-realistic graphics in future consoles and the realism of the action is compounded. What are the moral implications of this? If it's found to be too confronting and unacceptable for Natal to be used for R18+ games, then does it's theoretically possible demand for games such as GTA IV will lessen and developers won't make them. Or would it go the other way, with Natal never usurping the controllers place because it can't be adequately used for violent, yet hugely popular video games?

Why this could be bad for the industry

If the direction of gaming follows the trends seen in current generation blockbuster titles such as Grand Theft Auto IV, Assassin's Creed and Fallout 3, then Natal is clearly not compatible with the types of games offered. If the direction of gaming follows recent trends in casual gaming and the motion controls are used for positive interaction in game genres such as sports and racing, then Natal will work and be well received.

Developers are often full of surprises so I may be wrong, but the concept of full interaction and immersion with complex, structured, plot-oriented games doesn't really mesh. It is unlikely Natal will be able to improve upon a traditional controller in any marked way, and it will likely be detrimental for a number of reasons. Ultimately, gaming is a form of escapist entertainment and people will be reluctant to forcibly physically participate in them, there are "outside" games for that. Motion control technology is flawed in the variety of what can be input. The fantasy-based nature of games is unlikely to be confined to the physical input an average person is capable of. "True" immersion also raises ethical questions regarding violent video games and further blurs the boundary between fiction and reality.

There is a clear dichotomy and split in the direction of the gaming industry's goals and focus. Broadening the casual market through devices like Natal, shifting gaming to a more inclusive form of "media entertainment" and producing easy, fun and accessible games are all high on priority lists. At the same time, higher production standards, budgets and goals are leading to blockbuster titles which are becoming increasingly complex, immersive and adult in nature. It's these games which are often noted by the industry at large as "progressive", with casual market a necessary component of funding high-end titles and moving the industry forward.

At its peak, the video game industry can likely support, research and develop for both goals, but eventually a side needs to be picked, as such large expenditure is unsustainable. It's been argued that for every Trico there are 10 shovelware games, but if Trico is being made then all's well then ends well. If Natal is hugely successful in the casual market, then this logic is flawed. If we accept that Natal is detrimental to hardcore gaming, then developers will be less likely to develop traditionally adult-oriented games and to continue the trend of innovation through depth and story. There will be less incentive to develop these titles because the market and technology best suited to them is unavailable. This is good for developers initially, because they will have lowered costs and are making a lot of money, but in the long term this means no growth or progression within the industry.

It can be argued that the true future and progression of the gaming industry at large lies with the casual market, and that device like Natal are truly innovative. Many of the top selling games of last year were Wii titles that relied on motion controls and were arguably casual in nature. However, two of the top five games worldwide were GTA IV and Call Of Duty: World at War. These are both violent games that sold millions of copies, proving that the market for violent content is there. Finding the right balance between casual and hardcore titles in difficult at the best of times, adding devices like Natal into the picture skew it towards a the mainstream market, the question is whether or not the industry can afford to focus on the casuals in lieu of traditional hardcore gamers.

Despite all the pessimism about Natal, I'm aware that the most likely outcome is that it will become a sustained and integral part of gaming and will co-exist peacefully with controllers, gamers, developers and industry execs everywhere. What do you all think? Are my arguments and assumptions valid? Or am I being a cynical, Microsoft-hating pessimist?

- Ali Frazer

Screen Play readers can submit articles or ideas for consideration in Your Turn and Your Review using the email address screenplayblog@gmail.com. The best blog post published on Screen Play between June 1 and June 30, 2009 as judged by Jason Hill will win a PlayStation 3 console from Sony Computer Entertainment worth $699. The next prize winner will be announced on June 30. Only Australian residents are eligible and the judge's decision is final.

Over 40,000 attendees at last week's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles viewed hundreds of new products and technology advancements from over 200 exhibitors.

This year's bigger event seemed to much better cater to its diverse audience, which includes media from around the world, industry analysts, game publishers, developers, distributors and retail buyers.

While there was widespread criticism of last year's significantly smaller event, companies like Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Disney have already branded E3 2009 a success, while show organisers the Entertainment Software Association have already announced dates for next year's event - June 15 to 17, 2010.

"We are pleased that this year's E3 Expo was so successful for our members and exhibitors in terms of sales, business development and profile-building," says ESA President and CEO Michael Gallagher. "E3 Expo is truly the world stage and spotlight that the interactive entertainment industry has earned as a leader in entertainment. We are looking forward to building on this great momentum for 2010."

Screen Play is pleased to be home, but click below for some more impressions, highlights and random thoughts from E3 2009.

- A 30 minute BioShock 2 presentation left more questions than answers. I'm not
sure it is going to be as much fun playing as a Big Daddy in the single player mode, and the addition of a seemingly generic multiplayer mode is not a drawcard at this stage.

- 2K Czechoslovakia is doing a fabulous job on Mafia II, due early 2010 on 360, PS3 and PC. The atmosphere is perfect, it's cinematic, and the characters and story sound interesting. If the missions are varied and original, it will be very special.

- Kudos also to Microsoft's Turn 10 studio, who took the (arguably unfair) criticism from some players of Forza 2 that the game felt sterile, and are enlivening its successor with some spectacular fictitious tracks.

- The young creators of Xbox Live's Shadow Complex were indeed huge fans of Super Metroid, and the wide range of creative weapons and gadgets should ensure a terrific romp.

- A new Avatar Marketplace for Xbox 360 will let you spend those precious Microsoft points on gear for your avatar such as Gears of War t-shirts and a Warthog remote control car. Better still, developers will soon be able to award skilful players with avatar prizes in addition to Achievement points.

- Don't expect brand new releases for download via the Xbox 360's Games on Demand service anytime soon, but you will be able to pay for games direct using your credit card rather than Microsoft points.

- There were people who were blown away by Ubisoft's presentation of James Cameron's Avatar, but Screen Play was completely underwhelmed. Maybe it was because the 3D effect on the 100-inch plasma was so appalling.

- Remedy's Alan Wake was also unconvincing. If Alan is supposed to be a writer, how come his dialogue is so cheesy? And what's with being attacked by inanimate objects?

- If MTV and Electronic Arts are smart, they will create a "microphone only" bundle of The Beatles: Rock Band. The game's support for three mics (and three-part harmonies) as well as its killer 45-track songlist make it a very appealing karaoke game for those who aren't interested in plastic instruments.

- Raven's Singularity might be heavily influenced by BioShock, but "using time as a weapon" is a terrific gimmick.

- Hooray for the increasing trend towards role playing games in non-fantasy settings. Espionage RPG Alpha Protocol looks special, and Mass Effect 2 will be another must-play.

- God of War III's over-the-top violence is often absolutely hilarious, but it might need some editing to get an MA15+ release in Australia.

- Just like the amazing first impression Screen Play received at last year's Leipzig Games Convention, Heavy Rain again looked like it could be a major leap forward for the adventure game genre.

- LittleBigPlanet on PSP will contain a full create mode, and Sony's Cambridge Studio has nailed the look and feel of the PS3 game perfectly.

- It was fantastic to finally see a Lego game that lets players build. The easy-to-use yet flexible and powerful building mode in Lego Indiana Jones 2 should be the highlight of the package.

- Even if you've never liked or played Monkey Island, you have to buy The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition when it turns up via download services later in the year. That way we might get a chance at LucasArts remaking the likes of Sam & Max Hit the Road, The Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle and maybe even Grim Fandango. And the way you can press a button to instantly switch between classic and special editions is brilliant.

- Ubisoft was demonstrating upcoming strategy game Ruse on a huge tabletop touch screen like Microsoft's Surface platform. It's such a desirable piece of kit that the booth babes had to keep wiping the saliva off it throughout the show.

- It seems there was some anti-social flaming last week, so I'm not going to stir it up again with official E3 report cards for the three console manufacturers. But Nintendo weren't in the race (again) leaving Sony and Microsoft to battle it out for "best in show" honours. I would probably give slightly higher marks to Sony overall simply because of their superior first party line-up.

Before I run to the next presentation at this year's jam-packed Electronic Entertainment Expo, here's some random thoughts and highlights from E3 2009 so far.

The topic that everyone wants to talk about as you make your way around the show is motion control. Specifically, who has the most promising technology?

I feel that Sony's technology demonstrations were the most impressive at the show, largely because they were all real live demonstrations.

Microsoft's Project Natal was hugely impressive, and it was fantastic to see that voice control is being considered to be as potentially game changing as motion, but restricting most demonstrations to video format left a nagging suspicion that the technology is still a long way from prime time or that it might not be as precise as Microsoft claim.

The contrast between Sony's handwriting demonstration and Microsoft's paint flinging application was particularly stark, and suggested that Natal could be closer to the arm flailing inaccuracy of the first generation of EyeToy than the razor sharp precision that the PlayStation Motion Controller seems capable of.

But while both Sony and Microsoft's technology was impressive, it should not be forgotten that Nintendo still has the best poker hand at the table. MotionPlus arrives in Australia next week, and there are already 50 million Wiis in homes around the world.

It's been disappointing that we have not seen more MotionPlus applications at E3 from Nintendo and third-parties, but the likes of Wii Sports Resort, Gram Slam Tennis and Tiger Woods highlight that it offers a marked improvement for the Wii Remote.

Here are some other quick highlights of the show so far, or random observations:

- The madcap New Super Mario Bros. is heaps of fun thanks to its co-operate or compete dynamic in the four player action, but Nintendo might as well have gone the whole hog and included a level editor to let users create their own Mushroom Kingdom stages.

- Nintendo's press conference again highlights the difficulty of serving such a diverse and enormous audience, and of providing enough content to satisfy hardcore gamers.

- People are still buzzing about being in close contact with rock royalty - Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Fortunately, the game looks fabulous, too.

- Steven Spielberg's glowing assessment of Project Natal is something of a slapdown for Nintendo. Perhaps he is bitter about the low sales of Boom Blox.

- Yes, Gran Turismo 5 is still coming, and yes, it has crash damage. It won't be out in Australia this year, though. And I think its easy to underestimate the power of the franchise even after so many years, so it just might have a big impact on PSP, even if it is just more of the same.

- I haven't been able to confirm local pricing for the PSP. If the "same as the original price" strategy holds true for Australia, it will be $399. Ouch.

- Two new Metal Gear Solid games from quirky Japanese auteur Hideo Kojima? Yes please.

- Rockstar must be the only company able to release just a name and a logo and have everyone salivating. It worked last year with GTA Chinatown Wars, and worked again this year with the announcement of a new espionage game set in the 1970s called Agent.

- Both new kart racing games from Sony and Microsoft that allow players to design their own cars, drivers and tracks looked good fun. Its also interesting to see Microsoft dabble in new business models. Joy Ride is free but expect plenty of items like tracks and cars to cost Microsoft points.

- The first glimpses of highly anticipated sequels such as Crackdown 2, Final Fantasy XIV and Metroid Other M were cool, but it was The Last Guardian, a dazzling new adventure from the makers of PlayStation classics Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, that gave me tingles.

- New deals that will allow both Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS users to post photos and other content directly from console to Facebook seem smart, and I'm sure will be quickly adopted by game makers for their viral marketing potential.

- Handheld wonder Scribblenauts with its vocabulary of tens of thousands of words and fantastic flexibility to solve puzzles in multiple creative ways is possibly my favourite game of the show.

- Every line of dialogue for the new multiplayer online Star Wars game from BioWare called The Old Republic is going to be performed by voice actors, an astonishing feat.

- Halo 3 ODST is not just more of the same. Bungie is experimenting with the structure of the game in interesting ways that don't strictly funnel players through the usual "5 minutes of fun" encounters in the same way as the first three Halo campaigns. It will be interesting to see if the new freedom works as well as the game's more linear predecessors.

At a more relaxed and intimate presentation than Nintendo's E3 press conference, revered games designer Shigeru Miyamoto last night revealed that a new Zelda game for Wii could be released as early as next year.

Miyamoto wanted to show the game at this year's event, but it was not ready. "We are quite far into development for the next Zelda title and I hope that we can bring it to you next year, although it may take a little longer..." Miyamoto said.

He tried to placate journalists by showing an illustration which "represents the game". The image showed an adult Link with his back turned and a waif-like character in foreground with jewels on her.

Miyamoto said he had been thinking a lot recently about "the essence" of the Zelda franchise and "what is the best way to keep Zelda moving forward".

"Personally I think my idea is the player would have such an impactful experience that they feel like they have travelled to the places that Link visits in the game and create memories of the characters that you meet within those travels. I think its really important to stress that these are your individual memories of how you played the game."

Miyamoto said he had moved away from idea of creating images of what the game would be like (presumably like a movie storyboard) and is now more in favour of doing repeated experiments with different level and dungeon designs.

A very relaxed and jovial Miyamoto attributed his mood to not having to present on stage at this year's E3 press conference, but he has been very busy and is personally involved in a lot of the games shown on the show floor. In his "free time" in Los Angeles he has been emailing his programmers back in Japan.

Miyamoto was pleased to be able to show journalists the multiplayer action of New Super Mario Bros on Wii in more detail, saying he had long wanted to recreate the experience of playing a solo Mario game in a multiplayer format.

"I've been working on Mario titles for the last 20 years and this was something I've been wanting to do for the entire time I have been working on Mario," he said.

"It's that balance between competitive and co-operative is something you see often in New Super Mario Bros. Depending on what level where you are at, there will be places where you play more co-operatively, and places where you play more competitively, it's a unique balance."

Miyamoto showed off the new Penguin suit, which lets players hurl snowballs which imprison foes in a block of ice that is handy for sliding around on or using as a makeshift platform.

It was also immediately obvious that players who choose Yoshi have something of an advantage, with Yoshi able to suck in fireballs, hammers, or even fellow players like Toad.

Miyamoto said it was the power of the Wii hardware that facilitated multiplayer action for the first time, but later said Nintendo was unable to offer online support because the hardware was already at its limits.

When asked whether he found the Wii hardware was often a limitation on his ideas or game designs, Miyamoto said it was something games creators always have always had to face ever since the 8-bit era.

"You could say that on every project, but you work with the tools we have. Each successive hardware is a little more powerful, we just have to work within that."

Miyamoto added that "this was a really fun game to work on, and it's also a fun game to play" and is particularly pleased that the game "allows people who are new to games to play with others who might have been playing for a while".

Regarding the other Mario game in development - Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Miyamoto explained why Nintendo was breaking with tradition and releasing the title.

"Generally speaking we haven't created two titles that are essentially the same franchise on the same hardware. With Super Mario Galaxy it was the first time we have worked with spherical worlds and we had lots of ideas about how to work with galaxy.

"When we finished we realized there were a ton of ideas that we were unable to fit in, there was so much more gameplay that we weren't able to use, and we were a little disappointed that we weren't able to use all of it.

"We ended up thinking 'What the heck, let's make Super Mario Galaxy 1.5.' Then we started making new stuff and maybe even 95 per cent ended up being new, maybe even 99 per cent..."

Miyamoto said the game features roughly the same amount of content as its predecessor, with inclusions such as Yoshi and a tool to drill through stages.

"This game is really really far along, but since we are releasing new Super Mario Bros this year, we're going to do more work and add more things to it. That is, unless there is my traditional up-ending of the table," he joked.

Details about Sony's new PlayStation Portable might have been inadvertently leaked to the media on the weekend, but the new handheld wasn't the only news from Sony at today's press conference at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Highlights of a lengthy presentation included the announcement of Final Fantasy XIV exclusive to PS3, a new PS3 exclusive from Grand Theft Auto creators RockStar North, the return of Solid Snake, a new Resident Evil game for PSP, and the long-awaited confirmation of Gran Turismo for PSP, with the driving simulator to be released on October 1 with the new PSP Go.

Sony Computer Entertainment US President and CEO Jack Tretton decided to make light of the well-publicised PSP Go leak, opening proceedings with a joke that Sony was not "going to be outdone by anyone - press leaks included..."

Naughty Dog's impressive Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was the first game shown at the event, with co-president Evan Wells boasting that the sequel was "easily our most ambitious title to date".

It was hard to disagree after the demonstration showing an exciting rooftop chase, complete with a gorgeous vista, helicopter gunship fire, plenty of explosions, a collapsing building and an absolutely relentless pace. A multiplayer beta for the game starts today.

Next was the first public demonstration of the 256-player action of MAG from Zipper Interactive. The game's huge scale was made instantly apparent when viewing a live map of the battlefield.

The mission shown was an assault on a rival fuel depot, with objectives such as demolishing bunkers, destroying an anti-aircraft battery and securing key installations. Squad leaders have a particularly pivotal role in the action, and can issue special commands like airstrikes.

It was then time to finally unveil "E3's worst kept secret" - the PSP Go.

While the Nintendo DS continues to dominate the handheld market, the five year-old PSP has become slimmer and lighter over the years, with over 400 games released in the West. Over 15 million PSP consoles were sold last year, bringing the total install base to 50 million.

President and CEO Sony Computer Entertainment Kaz Hirai said Sony asked developers, publishers and gamers about what they wanted from the PlayStation Portable. The result is the new PSP Go, which like the DSi, will not replace the existing PSP-3000 but be sold alongside it.

The Go is 50 per cent smaller and 40 per cent lighter than the original PSP, and as rumoured does not include a UMD drive. Instead, games are downloaded onto the machine's 16GB of internal flash memory, which can be further expanded. The device also has built in wi-fi, slide-out controls, and integrated Bluetooth.

Sony was also keen to highlight a new media manager called Media Go, which makes it easier to transfer content like photos, videos and music from your PC to PSP. It includes a "Sense Me" analyser which studies your music and automatically creates playlists, grouping music by "mood".

Sony has also reduced the cost of PSP developer toolkits to attract more developers to the platform, and stressed that all major titles in the future would continue to be released via UMD as well as online via the PlayStation Network.

No Australian price for the PSP Go has yet been revealed, but it will be available in the US and Europe at same price point as the original model - US$249.99, on October 1.

The game will feature standard races, time trials, drift trials and challenges such as license tests.

Mr Yamauchi promised "a full sized Gran Turismo experience" plus four player wireless racing and the ability to trade cars.

Fresh from his highly publicized "defection" to the Xbox platform, Hideo Kojima returned to the Sony stage to present something of a peace offering to the PlayStation faithful - Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker for PSP.

Kojima was keen to emphasise that he is "deeply involved" in the project and will be writing the script personally, and that it is not "a spin-off or side story" but a "true sequel in the franchise".

The game, due next year, sees the return of Solid Snake, and the 1970s setting is 10 years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 3. The trailer showed the usual emphasis on stealth action and cheeky Kojima humour.

No information was revealed about another high-profile PSP game - Resident Evil Portable - beyond that it will be an entirely new game and released next year.

Sony also stressed it was committed to strengthening the PlayStation Network, which already boasts over 24 million registered users, who have downloaded more than 475 million pieces of content. More than 90 exclusive titles are already available via the PlayStation Store, and more than 50 PSone classics will soon be added, including Final Fantasy VII, which is available from today.

Sony also reaffirmed its commitment to PlayStation Home, which now has 6.5 million worldwide users. It claimed 85 per cent of users return to the online service, which was launched six months ago.

New areas for PlayStation Home based on inFamous, Buzz and SOCOM are coming soon, as well as content from third party partners like Activision, Capcom, EA and Eidos.

No images from Rockstar North's Agent, which is exclusive to PlayStation 3 and set in the late 1970s, was shown. But Mr Tretton said Sony expects the game to have same impact as Grand Theft Auto.

An impressive Assassin's Creed II demonstration was then shown, culminating in the use of Leonardo da Vinci's flying contraption in order to assassinate a well-protected mark.

A brief Final Fantasy XIII video was then shown, before Mr Tretton delivered the surprising announcement that Final Fantasy XIV Online would be exclusive to PS3, and released next year (presumably only in Japan...)

Sony then delved into territory well explored by its competitors in their press conferences - motion control.

"We know a little something about this space," Dr Richard Marx reminded attendees, as he showed what his team working on next-gen EyeToy technology had been up to recently. Marx boasted that Sony's technology "far surpasses anything on the market right now" and would "enable completely new experiences".

In addition to the standard PS3 EyeToy camera, the demonstration used a prototype Wii Remote-style controller dubbed the PlayStation Motion Controller which has internal motion sensors and a glowing sphere on its tip that enables the camera to track the object with astonishing accuracy.

Unlike Microsoft's presentation yesterday, all demonstrations shown were real-time action rather than videos, and highlighted that the technology allows very reliable and accurate 1:1 tracking of the remote as the user waved and pointed.

Perhaps to counter Microsoft's Pro Hart-style paint splashing exercise yesterday, the presenters showed how accurate and precise the PlayStation Motion Controller could be by writing accurately and legibly in mid-air. A real-time strategy game demonstration also showed enormous potential, as did a sword-fighting game.

The PlayStation Motion Controller is due in the Australian autumn next year, and Dr Marx said he expected "great casual experiences" but also wants "gamer's games".

The next installment in Sony's "Play, Create, Share" strategy was then demonstrated by Vancouver-based developers United Front Games.

ModNation Racers will step into the genre pioneered by LittleBigPlanet next year, offering a realistic kart racer with real-time physics and full customisation of characters, vehicles and tracks.

Users can create circuits using the simple Track Studio tool in less than five minutes. Like LittleBigPlanet, users can create by play - they can just drive around, essentially "painting" the track around the landscape wherever they drive. Seconds later you can test your track, or dress it up with different surfaces, landscaping tools, weapons, cosmetic details and hazards.

Fumito Ueda's The Last Guardian was then shown in brief trailer form, featuring a huge feathered beast and a boy in the saturated world familiar to players of Shadow of the Colossus and Ico. Action looks to include Ico-style combat and platforming, as well as riding on the huge creature like Colossus.

The finale of the presentation was a live play of God of War III's spectacular opening. The game is the final chapter in the God of War trilogy, with Kratos attempting to get his revenge on Zeus.

The demonstration showed Kratos wielding a flaming bow, dual blades and his trademark
chains as he battled his way past a centaur and a bizarre lion hybrid with horns and a snake for a tail, and finally towards a massive flaming goliath.

The brutal violence might give Australian censors some pause for thought before the game is released in March next year. Screen Play is looking forward to getting hands-on with a 20-minute demo of God of War III on the E3 show floor.

Nintendo unveiled a new Metroid adventure, two new Mario games, a sequel to Wii Fit and another bizarre "lifestyle" add-on for the flourishing Wii platform today.

Nintendo began their Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference today in Los Angeles with their most bankable star, Mario, who has appeared in over 200 titles and sold over 200 million games.

But the tubby plumber must share the limelight with his other pals in New Super Mario Bros for Wii, a madcap four-player romp that sees players exploring traditional mushroom kingdom levels simultaneously.

Like Sony's LittleBigPlanet, players can choose to co-operate with each other or hinder each other's progress. They can pick up other characters, assist in overcoming foes and obstacles, and choose to help you escape from traps like bubbles or leave you to suffer.

New additions include a propeller suit that enables characters to hover. Players can switch between solo action or multiplayer fun at any time.

New Super Mario Bros is due for release at Christmas, and is being developed alongside another Mario title coming soon - Super Mario Galaxy 2, which was shown briefly in trailer form.

Nintendo is also working on a sequel to their smash hit Wii Fit. Nintendo revealed that over 15 million Wii Balance Boards have already been sold worldwide, highlighting that it is becoming a platform in its own right rather than just an accessory.

The emphasis on Wii Fit Plus is customisation - letting users become their own personal trainer. Users can now mix and match elements to make a fully customizable workout according to their needs and time limits.

The package will be sold standalone or with a balance board in the Australian spring, and includes 15 new balance games like juggling, skateboarding, Mario-style platform jumping and a new "swivel hips" brain training game.

President and CEO of Nintendo America Reggie Fils-Aime was also keen to highlight the
benefits of Nintendo's new MotionPlus technology for Wii, which launches next week.

MotionPlus provides a "new sense of realism in gameplay," according to Mr Fils-Aime, "one that makes it feel and play more real." "Physical reality has become the new proving ground for innovation in gaming."

Next month's Wii Sports Resort was demonstrated, and includes mini-games such as
basketball, table tennis, fencing, jet ski, kayaking, archery, Frisbee throwing and golf. The game starts with players jumping out of an plane and enjoying skydiving, performing aerial maneuvers with other characters.

"It's not about learning the controls, it's about doing what comes naturally," Mr Fils-Aime reiterated.

But no new games for MotionPlus were shown, and the only third-party titles mentioned that currently support the device were Tiger Woods and Grand Slam Tennis from EA Sports, Sega's Virtua Tennis and Ubisoft's Red Steel 2, which demands mandatory use of the add-on.

Nintendo then attempted to smash the stereotype about Nintendo dominating software sales on its platforms. Mr Files-Aime said more third party games were sold for Wii last year than any other platform, while DS was second.

Long-time Nintendo partner Square Enix revealed Final Fantasy The Crystal Bearers is in development for Wii, and a new Kingdom Hearts that will be released for DS in September.

Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story will also be available for DS in the Australian Spring. Our heroes are shrunk and ingested, and get to explore Bowser inside out. Dedicated role playing fans can also look forward to Golden Sun DS next year.

Nintendo also highlighted some third-party titles for DS like James Patterson Women's Murder Club Games of Passion from THQ, a point and click detective game with three central female characters - a journalist, detective and doctor, and Cop The Recruit from Ubisoft, a GTA-style open world action game with a blend of driving and third-person gunplay.

Also coming soon to DS is Style Savvy, more fodder for the growing female tweenager market who might be growing tired of pampering their Nintendogs.

Nintendo revealed DSi sales in the US since launch have already surpassed one million units, while DS Lite sales have been over 400,000 in the same period, indicating there was a strong market for both devices.

Mario Vs Donkey Kong Minis March Again was the highest profile DSi exclusive shown. It lets players design their own levels, setting traps and building platforms, then sharing their designs with friends online. It will be available via download only next Monday.

WarioWare DIY is also coming soon, which allows players to create their own micro games and share them with others. The animation program Flip Notes Studio will also be available to DSi owners in next few months via the online store.

Like Microsoft, Nintendo also announced a partnership with Facebook. Soon DSi owners will be able to upload their personalised photos from the console to their Facebook profile.

The upcoming Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for DS was not shown on stage at the press conference, but will be playable this week on the Nintendo stand at the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Towards the end of today's presentation, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata took the stage to a rousing reception, but left the stage with a more muted response to his latest toy.

Mr Iwata began by saying that some analysts believe the astonishing growth in the gaming market is beginning to slow, yet Nintendo research suggests there is still huge potential growth if the right applications can be produced.

Mr Iwata said research in Japan, the US and Europe suggests that there are 295 million active game players, but another 149 million others who are interested but haven't yet taken the plunge.

" For every two people now playing, there is one more waiting. We still have a long way to go in expanding the gaming population," Mr Iwata said.

Nintendo's next goal is to create individual titles that can satisfy every type of game player, according to Mr Iwata, even though the range of skills has never been more varied and the market more diverse.

The President said he was still troubled by the "imaginary wall" between novices and expert gamers, and wants to produce software that can help tear it down. "It is still possible to create products that can satisfy both novices and expert player simultaneously".

No software was shown to demonstrate the potential of the device, but Mr Iwata said it would be used "to visualise something which is otherwise invisible" and "see the information relating to the inner world - your body". He said he wants to help people relax and reduce stress, "maybe even fall asleep".

No doubt the device will trigger plenty of derision from hardcore gamers, but they can take some solace from harder edge Wii titles shown from third-parties, such as Sega's The Conduit, Capcom's Resident Evil The Darkside Chronicles, and EA's Dead Space Extraction.

A new Metroid is also in development - a collaboration between Team Ninja and Nintendo called Metroid Other M, due next year. The game has a blend of traditional third-person Metroid action as well as the first-person blasting from the Metroid Prime series.

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr took the stage at today's Xbox 360 press conference to show their enthusiasm for The Beatles Rock Band, but it was a new motion-based control interface that stole the show.

Other news included the announcement of Metal Gear Solid Rising, the first glimpses of big-name sequels like Halo Reach, Left 4 Dead 2, Halo and Crackdown 2, plus the long-awaited confirmation of a high-definition movie and television service for Australian users.

Microsoft's huge press conference today at the University of Southern California's Galen Center in Los Angeles was the first official event of this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo.

The Beatles Rock Band kicked off proceedings, with producer Giles Martin revealing 10 of the 45-strong tracklist, and that the game would feature "never heard before studio chat" from the fab four.

The track list includes I Saw Her Standing There, I Want to Hold Your Hand, I Feel Fine, Day Tripper, Tax Man, I Am the Walrus, Back in the U.S S.R., Octopus's Garden, Here Comes the Sun and Get Back.

Beatles fans will be able to download full studio albums, including the iconic Abbey Road shortly after the game's launch on September 9. Microsoft has also secured at least one exclusive downloadable track - the anthem All You Need is Love.

The game's locations include Cavern Club, a Wembley-style stadium, some psychedelic spaces and the famous London rooftop gig for Get Back.

Ringo Starr enthused that "the game is good, the graphics are really good, and we are great" before McCartney added: "We love the game, (but) who ever thought we'd end up as androids?".

Tony Hawk had the difficult job of following The Beatles, but was keen to share his enthusiasm for the new skateboard controller for Tony Hawk Ride. The wireless gadget has infra-red sensors that can register your feet and hand movements, but was soon to be overshadowed by Microsoft's answer to the phenomenal success of the revolutionary Wii Remote.

Don Mattrick, Xbox Senior Vice President, says "the controller is a barrier separating video game players from everyone else". "We asked ourselves, can we go beyond the controller? Can we make you the controller? We can."

As rumoured, the "Project Natal" technology uses digital cameras and a microphone on a small bar fitted near the television like the Wii's sensor bar to offer voice recognition technology and movement tracking.

Possible games showed on a video demonstration of the technology included a one-on-one fighting game, a driving game complete with pitstops, gear changes and virtual steering wheel, a Godzilla-style rampage game, a two-player split-screen soccer goal keeping challenge, a skateboarding title and a buzzer-free trivia game.

The only live demonstrations shown were a three-dimensional Breakout-style game that let players hit and kick balls at targets, and a simple painting application that allows users to paint with gestures, splashing colour around like they are Pro Hart.

The technology will also enable Xbox 360 users to navigate the console's dashboard interface without a joypad, performing movements like swipes to move between menus, as well as using a gesture based interface and/or voice commands for choosing avatar clothing and controlling movie playback.

The software will also include facial recognition technology so signing into your profile could soon be a thing of the past.

Yet another celebrity guest, movie whiz turned game developer Steven Spielberg, said the vast majority of people are too intimidated to pick up a game controller. "The only way to bring interactive entertainment to everyone is to make technology invisible," he said, before adding that he felt that he was present for "a dramatic moment" in entertainment history. Spielberg says when first seeing the technology, he could instantly envisage many exciting new experiences.

Creative Director Kudo Tsunoda was the only person on stage to give a veiled mention of the Wii when discussing the new technology. "This is not the kind of game that you end up playing sitting on the couch using some pre-set waggle controls," he said.

Lionhead President Peter Molyneux also took the stage to talk up the technology's potential. "I'm sure you agree that it's pretty revolutionary" he opened, before adding that he believed the gaming controller has been the biggest barrier to widening the audience for video games. "This is a landmark in computer entertainment".

Lionhead has created a character called Milo who can recognise Xbox 360 users, speak with them in a natural conversation, and recognise emotions. Players can also draw items on paper for Milo to recognise.

President Hideo Kojima also snuck onto the Xbox 360 stage during the press conference to announce he is finally bringing the Metal Gear franchise to Xbox 360.

Metal Gear Solid 4 seemingly remains a PS3 exclusive, but Metal Gear Solid Rising: Lightning Bolt Action is coming to the Xbox 360, starring the much-maligned Raiden. Little other information about the game was revealed.

Blockbuster shooter Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 was demonstrated on stage by Jason West and Vince Zampella from Infinity Ward. The action featured a tense snow-bound stage called Clinghanger where players climb a sheer ice wall before attacking a military base in the middle of a blizzard.

Stealth play was soon replaced by explosive chaos with more a traditional firefight before a fast-paced snowmobile driving section. Other set pieces in the game include the chance to rappel from a helicopter.

Activision is bringing Modern Warfare 2 to other platforms but Xbox Live users will get the first chance to get their hands on two multiplayer map packs.

Yoshinorii Kitase, producer of Final Fantasy XIII for Square Enix, was next on stage to show his game a year after "shocking the world" with news that the revered role playing series would be coming to Xbox 360. A brief demonstration showed characters Lightning and Odin battling a large war mech. The game's American release is "Spring 2010".

Two new downloadable titles for Xbox Live were then shown: Shadow Complex and Joy Ride. From Gears of War developers Epic, Shadow Complex looks like a Super Metroid-style third person action game with a sprawling map, plenty of combat and secrets to discover. Joy Ride is a free kart racer with upgradeable vehicles, wild rollercoaster-style tracks, avatar support and the chance to design your own circuits.

For more hardcore Xbox 360 users, Crackdown 2 is in development, and will feature more big leaping, fast running and shooting action, while Left 4 Dead 2 will be released on November 17 for Xbox 360 and PC. It features new protagonists, and new weapons like chainsaws and axes to mow down the zombie hordes.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction was also shown, and highlighted that Sam Fisher is now a Jason Bourne-like rebel who no longer listens to the voice in his ear. The demo shown began with interrogating hapless goons in a bathroom before moving to a mansion infiltration.

Fisher can mark and executive enemies, take opponents to use as human shields, climb, hide in darkness, shimmy across rooftop pipes and hurl EMP grenades. In an interesting stylistic design choice, mission objectives appear written on the sides of building architecture and other in-game items rather than popping up on-screen. The game is exclusive to 360 and now due in the Australian Spring.

Turn 10's Forza Motorsport 3 is due around the same time, and game director Dan Greenawalt promised" the definitive driving game of this generation". Forza 3 features an all new 60 frames-per-second graphics engine, a rewind feature and 400 cars from 50 manufacturers. Like its predecessor, there will again be a strong emphasis on customisation, including the chance to create and upload high-definition videos.

Two new Halo games were shown. First, creative director Joe Staten showed Halo 3 ODST, which is set in New Mombasa several weeks before the start of Halo 3. You are a rookie Orbital Shock Drop Trooper and after a bungle drop, find yourself on your own. But the rookie has equipment that Spartans like Master Chief do not, including a low light vision mode and new weapons.

The game features flashbacks that allow players to play through events from the perspective of other troopers, and such as a sequence on a bridge where the player has to arm and trigger various charges to blow up the structure. The game is also going to feature a new co-operative mode called Firefight, and is due on September 22.

Halo fans will also get another fix of their favourite franchise from Bungie next year, but only a brief glimpse of Halo Reach, due in 2010. Fortunately, fans will receive an invite to a Reach multiplayer beta if they buy ODST.

Much delayed supernatural thriller Alan Wake also made an appearance on stage courtesy of Remedy's lead writer Sam Lake. The game is presented as TV-style episodes, complete with cheesy voiceover narration by the protagonist Wake.

The demonstration showed a forest section where the player must follow a character called "Rusty" before being besieged by foes who seem averse to torchlight. Players can also use guns and flares to keep enemies at bay. The game is still not due until at least our autumn next year.

Aside from games, Microsoft has also been busy working on additional services for the Xbox 360 to continue widening the console's reach. It confirmed today that 360 users will soon have access to a massive music catalogue courtesy of a partnership with last.fm, which has 30 million users and millions of songs. Free access will be provided to the music service for Xbox Live gold members.

More enticingly, the Xbox Live Video Marketplace will be re-launching as Zune Video in our Spring, and a long-awaited Australian debut was confirmed. Microsoft will be updating its movie library to 1080p resolution and every piece of content will be available "instantly" via streaming technology. Faraway friends can even watch TV and movies together with their avatars in the foreground.

Microsoft has also entered into a new partnership with Facebook to enable access to Facebook content direct from the Xbox 360 console, and integration will soon allow posting of screenshots and achievements direct to your Facebook profile. Twitter integration is also coming before the end of the year.

Screen Play has just landed in smogtacular Los Angeles for this year's massive Electronic Entertainment Expo, the biggest event on the worldwide gaming calendar.

Feel free to chat among yourselves until the action begins less than 24 hours from now.

The first event of the week is the Xbox 360 media briefing on Monday morning (LA time), so you can expect a report around this time tomorrow. The Microsoft event is followed later in the day by the Electronic Arts and Ubisoft press conferences.

On Tuesday (LA time), the Nintendo and Sony press conferences are held back-to-back in the morning before the official opening of the expo at the Los Angeles Convention Centre at midday. You can expect the first news from Nintendo and Sony on Wednesday.

As mentioned last week, my schedule at the show is chock-full with interviews with industry leaders and behind closed door sessions to see the best new games in development, so I look forward to sharing all the exciting news from both the press conferences and the show itself as the week unfolds.

A highlight of the week will be the chance to interview Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto, so if you have a burning question you have always wanted to ask the gaming pioneer, please let me know.

I will also be interviewing key executives from Microsoft and Sony, so you can use the comment section below to suggest any questions you would like answered by Nintendo's major competitors.

I also look forward to reading your predictions and expectations as this huge week in interactive entertainment officially begins.